Ghana’s efforts to sanitise the labour migration space have received a boost with the launch of the Professional International Recruitment Association of Ghana (PIRAG), as the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, called for ethical recruitment and stronger regulation of the sector.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Pelpuo said unethical recruitment practices do not only harm workers but also damage the country’s image.
“Every unethical recruitment practice affects not only the individual worker but the nation as a whole. It damages Ghana’s reputation and exposes our people to exploitation,” Dr Pelpuo stated.
He said labour migration remains an important tool for national development when it is properly managed.
“International recruitment, when properly managed, is a legitimate pathway to decent work and new opportunities for our people,” Dr Pelpuo said.
The Minister stressed the need to build a labour migration system that inspires confidence both within Ghana and abroad.
He also warned against the activities of unlicensed operators, saying they continue to put job seekers at risk.
“Unlicensed operators expose vulnerable job seekers to exploitation and undermine lawful migration channels,” Dr Pelpuo said.
He called for stronger enforcement and closer oversight of the sector, adding that the responsibility must be shared by all stakeholders.
“Ethical recruitment must be treated as a shared responsibility – government, the private sector and our partners must all play their part,” Dr Pelpuo added.
The President of PIRAG, Mr Charles Kwenin, described the new association as a timely intervention to restore trust and professionalism in Ghana’s international recruitment space.
“Our people are our greatest resource, and their recruitment cannot be left to chance or unscrupulous actors,” Mr Kwenin said.
He said PIRAG would work to promote fairness, transparency and accountability in the recruitment of Ghanaians for jobs abroad.
“We are here to ensure that every Ghanaian worker who travels abroad does so with dignity intact, with their rights protected and their future secured,” Mr Kwenin stated.
According to him, partnerships with government, employers and development partners will be important in enforcing standards and protecting workers.
Mr Kwenin also said the association would push for the “employer pays” principle to prevent job seekers from carrying recruitment costs.
“We are promoting the ‘employer pays’ principle to remove the burden of recruitment costs from vulnerable job seekers,” Mr Kwenin said.
He added that PIRAG would support government’s work abroad programme by providing the professional systems needed to make it sustainable.
“We are here to support government’s work abroad programme by providing the professional infrastructure needed to make it sustainable,” he said.
Mr Kwenin said the association would also use strict codes and peer accountability to help curb unethical practices in the sector.
“Our goal is simple – to ensure that when a Ghanaian worker travels abroad, they do so safely, work with dignity, and return home with prosperity,” Mr Kwenin concluded.
The launch of PIRAG is expected to strengthen efforts to regulate international recruitment in Ghana and protect workers from abuse, fraud and exploitation.
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